M3GAN 2.0 Review – Designer Death, Camp Chaos, and an Uncertain Future

M3GAN 2.0

Trailer Director: Gerard Johnstone Writers: Akela Cooper, Gerard Johnstone, James Wan

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Ivanna Sakno

M3GAN 2.0 is superior to its predecessor, but that's not a difficult thing to achieve. While it levels up with camp, choreographed violence and fight scenes, and better character the development, the film is not strong enough to indicate if this will turn into a successful franchised that leans into satire or if it's genuinely beginning to take itself seriously enough be a voice in the advancements of artificial intelligence.

The film doesn't open with our sassy childlike killer AI robot, but AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android), a military-developed AI with surgical precision and a born-yesterday sexy look but without the infantilization. She is on a mission to rescue a kidnapped developer, but in true Skynet fashion, becomes self-aware and carries out her own protocols, bypassing the initial coding the US Army gave her. This sets the tone for the film: the AI units are not just about rogue tech, but about autonomy, control, and self-preservation. Ivanna Sakhno as Amelia is by far the character to watch in this film; her robotic movements and uncanny valley representation is near chilling, despite being more realistic looking than M3GAN, there is no question that behind her soulless eyes is soulless tech, waiting to wake up.

After Amelia's brief, blood-soaked coming-out party, we are reintroduced to Gemma (Allison Williams), who has had a change of heart when it comes to advancing tech, her adopted niece-turned-daughter Cady (Violet McGraw) and her team. Cady now has limited access to technology, Gemma wants to use it to shape the future, not change it, and her team are once again pawns in her development of this, which comes back to bite her later. The FBI infiltrates her house, M3GAN reveals she's been 'alive' the whole time, and with the reluctant approval of Gemma, she convinces her to rebuild her body to be a taller, more versatile young woman with higher capabilities. Revived to be a weapon, M3GAN isn't interested in becoming more human, or even looking as human as AMELIA does; she wants to win, and continue to complete her basic function: protect Cady.

What follows from here is the strongest part of the film: the choreography. Not the meme-bait dance scene tossed in the AI convention like a studio-mandated reminder that the film is camp, but the way each AI has distinctive movements in the way that they fight. They are not clunky terminators, they're graceful, adaptive and terrifyingly efficient. Techno-ballet, every movement and kill is calculated and then, without theatrics or mercy or pandering shots to say "look what we did," they move on, letting you forget the bloodlust as quickly as the AI does. Each 'woman' represents evolving idealologies when it comes to Artificial Intelligence. Amelia is cold; she represents our fear of AI taking over, becoming self-aware and ultimately wanting to destroy humanity. M3GAN's chaotic vengeance is more aligned with humanity, to join and be with rather than segregate, but neither is good, nor really necessairy, and that's the point.

The world in M3GAN 2.0 expands, but it doesn't feel cohesive. We experience more infrastructure, hidden labs, secret projects, Government agencies using tech to build war machines, all of which hint that the third installment, which will inevitably be announced, will be widespread and more chaotic than Skynet-like super killer.

Cady, the emotional anchor of the first film, is given less space this time, only to be dimmed down to a physically stronger, but emotionally devolved, adolescent with no real emotion behind her. We don't see her grappling with the trauma to the extent we could, but more of a passive glide of her, once babysitting AI attempting to murder both her and her aunt. Gemma, by contrast, had major character development. We see her struggle with the ethics of AI, including the repercussions to her own creation. Her dynamic with M3GAN is more complex, with glimmers of guilt, fear and overall acceptance and mutual respect.

Visually, M3GAN 2.0 stumbles. The cinematography leans into muted yellows and sterile neutrals, rather than trying for a psychoactive, hot-pink-coded high-fashion murder Barbie that the M3GAN aesthetics hinted at in its posters. It's hard to tell if at one point the film was attempting to take itself seriously with the design, but it feels like it was created for a film with more of a serious tone than a wise-cracking android who thrives off vagina jokes. The soundtrack, however, set by composer Chris Bacon, definitely fits the theme more.

M3GAN 2.0 plays with a hybrid style in its effects. We have uncanny valley in physicality, rather than leaning entirely into CGI, the production fuses animatronic puppetry, live action choreography and selective digital enhancements to work with Amie Donald and Ivanna Sakhno. Crawling, fighting, and body movements were done in makeup or silicone masks to anchor the characters in reality, while M3GAN's face movements were overlaid with CGI. The blend gave them a disturbing realism and kept it rooted in something that just feels off.

M3GAN 2.0 sharpens its edges with stronger choreography, a chilling new antagonist, and thematic weight around autonomy and AI identity. It stumbles in tone and visual coherence, and while the film isn’t sure whether it wants to scare us or make us laugh, it does enough to prove the franchise has something to say. Whether M3GAN 3.0 will double down on satire or shift into full tech-thriller remains to be seen—but if it wants to survive in the genre, it’ll need to decide fast.

3/5

FAQ: M3GAN 2.0

Is M3GAN 2.0 better than the first? In our opinion, yes—M3GAN 2.0 offers tighter choreography, improved pacing, and a more nuanced take on AI ethics. The performances are stronger and the stakes feel more grounded, despite tonal issues.

Who plays Amelia in M3GAN 2.0? Amelia is played by Ivanna Sakhno, best known for her role as Shin Hati in Ahsoka. She delivers a standout performance as a chilling, militarized AI counterpart to M3GAN.

Are the fight scenes CGI or practical effects? The film uses a hybrid of practical effects and CGI. Most choreography was done using live-action performances (Amie Donald and Ivanna Sakhno), enhanced with CGI overlays and animatronics. This keeps the action grounded and unsettling.

Does M3GAN 2.0 expand the lore of the first film? Yes—while the worldbuilding still feels a bit fragmented, M3GAN 2.0 expands on the tech industry, military involvement in AI, and Gemma’s role in the creation of sentient machines. It hints at a wider conflict likely to come in M3GAN 3.

Will there be a M3GAN 3? While not officially confirmed at the time of review, the ending heavily implies that a third film is on the way, potentially widening the scope to full-scale AI conflict.

What’s the theme of M3GAN 2.0? M3GAN 2.0 explores autonomy, grief, ethical tech development, and how AI reflects our deepest fears and desires. Amelia and M3GAN represent two sides of artificial evolution: calculated control vs emotional attachment.